In a Monday evening release, the Indiana men’s basketball program announced James Blackmon Jr. will declare for the NBA Draft, but won’t hire an agent.

From the release:

“James is going to test the waters and see where he stands in the eyes of the NBA at this time,” Tom Crean said. “He is going to go through the process with both eyes open with the goal of receiving the most complete and current evaluation possible.”

Blackmon Jr.’s decision to not hire an agent allows him the option to attend next month’s draft combine (if invited) in Chicago (May 11-15) and interview and work out for NBA teams while still being able to return to the Hoosiers next season.

The sophomore will get 10 days after the draft combine to make a decision on whether to stay in the draft or return for his junior season.

The Marion product played in just 13 games a sophomore before suffering a season-ending right knee ACL injury on the Monday before Indiana’s Big Ten opener at Rutgers.

Blackmon Jr. tore his left ACL while during his sophomore season at Fort Wayne Luers and also suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee this past offseason in Bloomington.

He averaged 15.8 points per game and shot 46.3 percent on 3-pointers in his second season.

Indiana junior forward Troy Williams has also declared for the NBA draft without hiring an agent while Thomas Bryant and OG Anunoby both announced they will return to school next season.

The other approach is to thank both Beilein and CTC for finding a better fit for Max. He needed to reinvent himself somewhere else. Would have been tough to reinvent himself at Michigan.

IUMIKE1

Hang in there man. You’ve been accused of a lot of things on this thread, but no one can accuse you of not sticking to your opinion ! Cudos to the man that sticks to his convictions. My opinion of a person is not formed solely from if a person sticks to their guns, but it does factor in heavily.

Capt’n Dan lashing himself to mast of Gump’s fishing boat during the big storm and screaming, “is that all you’ve got, well come and give it to me cause I can take it” comes to mind after reading the responsed you’ve gotten. LOL

Ole Man

LOL! Yep; hard to trust any “feelins'” after eating Mexican.

ForeverIU

LOL, thanks man! Even Ole Man couldn’t make me budge on this one! I might have even helped in bringing out his better angels, just a little. It’ll take some time and lots of therapy to overcome the pUKe-fan-caliber accusation, but I’ve overcome worse things in my life 🙂

HuntinHoosier86

AMEN! LOL

ForeverIU

As a one-time thing it’s okay, but this will become a trend. The rule was not meant (in principle) to be used so casually. Half of every post-season will be spent playing the waiting game, and then possibly left short-handed.

Yes, but even if that’s true, you can’t blame any individual player who takes advantage of the rules.

Fifer39

As a very good guard, yes. But he had the lowest FG% of all regular starters last year and the lowest PPG other than Collin and so is certainly not proven in the volume scoring role that would be vacant in both TW and JBJ go. Also he is going to take some adjusting to playing the 1 if indeed that is the role he’ll have next year.

Fifer39

Probably true and isn’t the reason recruits land where they do usually more to do with what openings there are and how they’ll fit rather than where they would really like to be? No doubt there is an exception for the truly top prospects who can perhaps choose their spot because they will go to the top of the pecking order but I’m sure even CZ wouldn’t have been in Bloomington if he was going to be behind 2 other quality bigs.

Fifer39

I think it probably was intended to allow this casual usage since the previous process was so black and white – you’re either in or out. But you’re absolutely right about the impact it could have on recruiting. Teams will be impacted differently each year depending on who they have in the mix.

INUnivHoosier

I didn’t hear about the Knight/Trump thing, either. I hope Bob Knight doesn’t have dementia. Although, that would be a plausible explanation…

VanPastorMan

I spent four yrs in the Chicago area when I was a student at the Moody Bible Institute. We lived in Stickney so I had to drive in every day. I hated it, and could not wait to graduate and get out of the area.

Wow, I lived right across LaSalle Street kind of in back of Moody Bible Institute. On the corner of LaSalle and Eugene.. a 42 story condominium named the Parkview.. Overlooking Lincoln Park and the lake. Went to Moody Bible Church just about every Sunday. Small world after all…lol..

cbags05

Mmmmmk. Don’t really care.

cbags05

I can see that. If walking places. My experience is typlically driving into the city either to fly out or a day trip downtown. Neither of those are ever pleasant experiences it seems.